Tag Archives: Eucharist

Christmas time has come around once more for all Christians, for all Catholics. The Church has put away it’s purple colored vestments and liturgical decorations. The Advent wreath has been taken down. In their place, the chapel sanctuary, where I worship, is strewn with red and white poinsettias, a Christmas tree, with white lights. A manger scene with Mary, Joseph, and the Baby Jesus, has been set up in front of the altar.

The chapel quickly fills for our 4:00PM Vigil Mass, and soon it is standing room only. Our guitar choral group leads us in song, we join in singing the old Christmas favorites. We have a guest priest as our celebrant this night, and the sacred liturgy begins. We hear the words of the prophet Isaiah spoken; telling of ancient Israel’s future vindication, and rebirth. Then we hear the Good News from St. Matthew, proclaimed by our celebrant:

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Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the holy Spirit.
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Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly.
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Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord* appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.
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She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
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All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:
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“Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,”
which means “God is with us.”
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When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.
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He had no relations with her until she bore a son, and he named him Jesus. “ (Matt. 1: 18-25)

After hearing how Christ Jesus, though he was Son of God, willingly came into this world as a child, to begin the work of salvation; we are soon witness to another miracle. Christ is made present to us in the form of bread and wine, transformed into his Body and Blood. It was my privilege and honor to help distribute Holy Communion to those who approach. I feel something in my heart, as I hold up each host for the communicant to see, and say with conviction: “The Body of Christ.” And then place the host in the hands of the person, or on their tongue.

There the final prayers, and the blessing of the priest; we then sing joyful Christmas songs; celebrating the sacred event that happened in Bethlehem; the sacred moment we just experienced, and leave with the hope of Jesus’ promised return, when a new heaven and a new earth will come to be.

All peace and joy be yours this Christmas day, and God’s blessings on you for the coming year.

It has been a long time since we shared a cup of joe together. So let me catch you all up on what’s happening.

The first news is that my wife and I are no longer living in Beverly! We decided that we needed to find a more affordable apartment; and since my job is in Quincy, in the South Shore, we decided to search there. Long story short, we found an apartment in Bridgewater, MA; and on July 13th, we moved in. The commute to work is now much easier, less stressful.

The only downside was that I have to leave the three Beverly Catholic parishes I have been serving at since 2012. Because of the short window of opportunity, we had to move fast on the process; and I had to give very short notice to our parish administrator and the parishioners themselves. Leaving those people I have been with close to 5 years was very sad.

Now, I am between assignments; and feeling a bit out of sorts. For two Sundays now, I have participated in the celebration of the Eucharist in the pews, with the congregation, and not at the altar. It should not make at difference, and it does not make a difference. But it still feels strange to me right now.

The process of getting a new assignment is longer than I thought. I have to first check a page listing the parishes seeking a deacon, and if any are within striking distance from where I live. Arrange an interview with the pastor. Then, if we are in agreement, ask the Archdiocese to assign me to that particular parish. So, we will see what happens.

As we drain our cups, I will share with you that I still do not have a working computer; and an IPhone does lend itself to long essays. But I do intend to post a little more frequently. I hope.

Well, the cups are in the dish rack; and I wish you God’s blessings and peace.

Kissing your feet with all the love I am capable of, I beg you to show the greatest possible reverence and honor for the most holy Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ through whom all things, whether on earth or in the heavens, have been brought to peace and reconciled with Almighty God (cf. Col 1:20). (St. Francis of Assisi, Letter to a General Chapter. Omnibus of Sources)

Times that I have lingered. Before I continue on, a point of information for those who are not Catholic. The Church teaches, and Catholics believe that Jesus Christ is truly present, and remains present in the Bread and Wine, the moment the priest repeats Jesus’ words: “Take and eat; this is my body,” and “Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant,…” (Matt 26: 26-28) At the end of the distribution of Communion, any remaining consecrated Wine is consumed; any remaining consecrated Hosts are placed in a container, called a ciborium, and placed in a tabernacle.
As a Deacon, I assist at two Masses on Sunday morning. After the first Mass, I get everything set up for second Mass. One of my responsibilities is to check the ciborium, to see if I need to set out more unconsecrated hosts for Communion. I open the tabernacle; look into the ciborium, then close the tabernacle. It is at that moment that I may just stand there, because I am aware of a Presence, of Christ’s Presence. I cannot describe the experience, I just know, and that I do not want to leave the spot. Eventually, after a few minutes, the Lord lets me go, and I go on with my work.
I believe that God is always asking us to linger for just a moment, and be open to His Presence. Sometimes, we stop and open our minds and hearts; sometimes we let the anxieties, the cares, and the distractions of this world get in the way. We rush about, here and there, doing this or that. If Christ was to knock on the door of our heart, would we linger?Linger

A long time ago, I was reading an issue of “Saint Anthony’s Messenger,” published by the Franciscan Friars. I was scanning the comment letters, when I saw a letter in which the writer was complaining about a previous magazine cover depicting a woman holding a communion host in her cupped hands. The writer was outraged that a Catholic magazine who depict a layperson (cannot remember if he made reference to gender) holding a consecrated Host. The writer went on to state that because of this practice, the Eucharist was being demeaned in the eyes of the faithful. Well, this letter got my dander up (I still had hair at the time!), and I wrote a reply, which actually was published. As I recall what I wrote, I am sure I stressed that receiving on the tongue, or in the hand, were both valid choices. What upset me, and continues to upset me, are those who believe that I am desecrating the Eucharist, when I receive in the hand. For me, it is the greatest honor, the greatest joy, to be able to receive my Eucharistic Lord, in my hands. To realize that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, loved me; loved all of us so much, that He humbles Himself each day to be with us, to feed and strengthen us. He is willing be present in simple bread and wine, so He can be one with us. This realization for me is awesome!

All this came to mind when I saw an article by Mathew N. Schmalz, a contributor to the website Crux. He also was commenting on how divisive how one receives Communion has become. It is becoming a litmus test, a way to determine if you are for Vatican II reforms or against them. Are you a “traditionalist,” or a “liberal” Catholic? Do you believe in the sacredness of the Eucharist or not? What should be the highest experience of Christ’s Presence among, has become just another theological or liturgical argument!

Since I was ordained as a deacon in 2012, I have distributed Communion at many, many Masses. The vast majority of those who come forward to receive Communion come with their right hand cradled in their left hand. Many approach me with a look of anticipation, a look of reverence in their eyes, as they receive the Body of Christ in their hands. There are some who do come up to me and receive the Host on their tongues. I see the same sense of reverence, in their eyes and in their voices, as they say “Amen,” and I place the Host on their tongue. Whatever way we chose to receive the Eucharist, it is vitally important that we remember who it is we are receiving, and be open to His Eucharistic Presence.

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St. Anthony's Walnut Tree by Bonafacio De Pitata (Photo by Jack Wintz, OFM)

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All are welcome here. I hope you will find my random thoughts, reflections, and bits of news interesting. I write from a Franciscan and deacon's viewpoint about our Church, our country and our world.
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